Virtual Environment For Critical Incident Response Training

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for critical incident response training are disclosed. A method of prompting a user of a computing device to choose how a user avatar should interact with a three-dimensional virtual environment in response to a critical incident includes displaying the three-dimensional virtual environment on a display device. The three-dimensional virtual environment graphically represents a physical environment. The method further includes displaying the user avatar that represents the user on a display device. The user avatar is positioned in the three-dimensional virtual environment. The method further includes simulating the critical incident in the three-dimensional virtual environment, and prompting the user to choose how the user avatar should interact with the three-dimensional virtual environment in response to the simulated critical incident.

1 . A method of prompting a user of a computing device to choose how a user avatar should interact with a three-dimensional virtual environment in response to a critical incident comprising:
 displaying the three-dimensional virtual environment on a display device, wherein the three-dimensional virtual environment graphically represents a physical environment;   displaying the user avatar that represents the user on a display device, wherein the user avatar is positioned in the three-dimensional virtual environment;   simulating the critical incident in the three-dimensional virtual environment; and   prompting the user to choose how the user avatar should interact with the three-dimensional virtual environment in response to the simulated critical incident.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying on a display device emergency decision diagrams and flowcharts corresponding to the critical incident. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 displaying a question to the user on a display device; 
 prompting the user to input an answer to the question; and 
 providing feedback to the user in response to the answer. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising transmitting data representing the user response to the critical incident to an administrator. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising revising critical incident response procedures in response to the transmitted data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the physical environment comprises a business, an airport, a train, a subway, a bust station, a university, a college, or a school. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional virtual environment comprises one or more buildings. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more buildings form a campus setting, an airport, a train station or depot, a subway station or depot, a bus station or depot, at least a portion of a city, a restaurant, or a military facility. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a building of the one or more buildings comprises an office, a classroom, a storeroom, a hallway, an elevator, a stairwell, a bathroom, a meeting room, or a food preparation area. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 evaluating the choice of the user to determine if the choice is the correct choice in the simulated critical incident; and 
 simulating the result of an incorrect choice in the three-dimensional virtual environment. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 evaluating the choice of the user to determine if the choice is the correct choice in the simulated critical incident; 
 simulating a next stage of the critical incident in the three-dimensional virtual environment; and 
 prompting the user to choose how the user avatar should proceed in response to the next stage of the simulated critical incident. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 prompting the user or an administrator to input customized information relating to the physical environment; and 
 receiving the customized information, wherein displaying the three-dimensional virtual environment on the display device is based on the customized information. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user avatar is displayed to the user from a first person point of view or a third person point of view. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 prompting the user or an administrator to input user avatar attributes such as a name, a hair color, a skin color, a height, a weight, a body type, or an eye color; 
 receiving the user avatar attributes, wherein displaying the user avatar on the display device is based on the user avatar attributes. 
 
     
     
         15 . A system for prompting a user to choose how a user avatar should interact with a three-dimensional virtual environment in response to a critical incident comprising:
 a computing device that comprises a non-transitory memory component that stores a set of executable instructions that causes the computing device to:
 display the three-dimensional virtual environment on a display device, wherein the three-dimensional virtual environment graphically represents a physical environment; 
 display the user avatar that represents the user on a display device, wherein the user avatar is positioned in the three-dimensional virtual environment; 
 simulate the critical incident in the three-dimensional virtual environment; and 
 prompt the user to choose how the user avatar should interact with the three-dimensional virtual environment in response to the simulated critical incident. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the set of executable instructions further causes the computing device to:
 evaluate the choice of the user to determine if the choice is the correct choice in the simulated critical incident; and   simulate the result of an incorrect choice in the three-dimensional virtual environment.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the set of executable instructions further causes the computing device to:
 evaluate the choice of the user to determine if the choice is the correct choice in the simulated critical incident;   simulate a next stage of the critical incident in the three-dimensional virtual environment; and   prompt the user to choose how the user avatar should proceed in response to the next stage of the simulated critical incident.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for prompting a user to choose how a user avatar should interact with a three-dimensional virtual environment in response to a critical incident that stores a set of executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform at least the following:
 display the three-dimensional virtual environment on a display device, wherein the three-dimensional virtual environment graphically represents a physical environment;   display the user avatar that represents the user on a display device, wherein the user avatar is positioned in the three-dimensional virtual environment;   simulate the critical incident in the three-dimensional virtual environment; and   prompt the user to choose how the user avatar should interact with the three-dimensional virtual environment in response to the simulated critical incident.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the set of executable instructions further causes the computing device to:
 evaluate the choice of the user to determine if the choice is the correct choice in the simulated critical incident; and   simulate the result of an incorrect choice in the three-dimensional virtual environment.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the set of executable instructions further causes the computing device to:
 evaluate the choice of the user to determine if the choice is the correct choice in the simulated critical incident;   simulate a next stage of the critical incident in the three-dimensional virtual environment; and;   prompt the user to choose how the user avatar should proceed in response to the next stage of the simulated critical incident.